Glide Towards Success with Ease in Flow

Success seems to be a byproduct of flow, doesn’t it? Success, like flow, is all about perception. If we believe our success is only measured by our earnings or Kindle or Amazon book’s rating, then we have a popular – yet narrow – definition of success. We stop short of our potential. Whether professional or novice, writers can be probed by friends, family, and strangers with these questions:

Wow! I’ve always wanted to be an author! It feels amazing, right?

Where do you find the time to write?

Can I send you some of my writing and you can tell me if I’m any good?

How many books do you have out? Only one? Can you really call yourself a writer?

I don’t really read (poetry/fiction/essays), so how can I know if you’re any good?

And on and on and on….

There are wo truths that most professional writers know. First, we are bad writers before we get better. Second, when we ignore the external definitions of success, the ego boosting praise, the brisk book sales, it is increasing possible to become good writers. We start as beginners at each new project. Like pedaling a bike, we balance our need for recognition with our desire to simply produce each time we bring our fingers to the keyboard.

Flow with the good writing practices, which leads to confidence and greater flow.

Are You a Good Witch…

Like Dorothy, we may be confused by the power of flow. Or deny it’s power: I’m not a witch. Witches are old and ugly!. Good writing happens when we enter flow to serve our greatest needs as well as the desires of others. When we set about writing without a monetary reward attached to it, we are good writers. Without the expectation of perfection the first draft, we are good writers. As Julia Cameron, creativity specialist and author of The Artist Way, puts it: “Our first attempts are supposed to be just that – beginnings. The trick is to be a beginner each time we sit down to write.” When we are child-like in the way we play with words allows us to be good writers. Honoring the craft sets us under writing’s enchanting spell.

…Or a Bad Witch?

Bad writers fly from one project to the next. They demand perfection of themselves and their work. Bad writers like bad witches remain in a dark sort of frantic flow. They compare their work with others. They stew over other’s successes and curse their own trials. They do not honor the process of starting as a beginner each time they write. By refusing to acknowledge their own vulnerabilities, they grieve that which is just our of reach.

Your Turn

The truth is we are all both good and bad witches depending upon the day, the workload, or the task at hand. Take out your journal and free-write about what you think constitutes a good or bad writer. If you find that you demand perfection of yourself, then forgive that tendency. It is a deeply ingrained behavior. Allow yourself to begin to unwind your thinking. Write in your journal for the sheer pleasure – or yes, sometimes, pain – of practicing your craft. Righting your writing by writing.

Ease On Down the Road with Flow

Sometimes flow seems elusive. Especially when media is bombarded with images of people enraged by their current situations. And even when we temper the need for social media, the soundtrack in our own minds can be “what’s the use?” In our angst, the lyrics to Kansas’ “Dust in the Wind” can begin to sound all too familiar. There are, of course, choices. We can see change simply as something as a natural progression of our lives.

We change, because change is the only constant. Instead of resisting change, why not travel the golden path to flow? It sure beats the virtual superhighways charged with images that can shut down our own internal resources.

Surviving the Storm

When we approach a new path in our lives, we can feel trepidation. What is on the other side of the door? We might have a cyclone of emotions leaving us reeling with unchecked emotions. Change can cause a feeling of disorientation. There in our internal journey we have the ability to self-correct. And, it is free and available to each and every one of us 7/24. And that powerful resource is our attitude.

Recognizing the Resource of Gratitude

Once decide to look for the silver lining in a challenging day, or week, or year, we swing open the door of gratitude very wide and enter a technicolor world of Ozian proportions. We see possibilities. We note options. In short order, we decide to take a step on our very own yellow brick road. So what does this road look like? How we can access it? Does it require some special skill?

Don’t Carry Nothing That Might Be a Load

If we use journal writing to spill our fears onto a page, we gain courage to move forward with greater ease. One step at a time. One word at a time. And we have a place to count our blessings. In doing so, we begin to travel the path with a lighter spirit. A shift in mindset places our feet firmly on the road to flow.

Your Turn

Decide to step through your black and white (all or nothing) thinking. Open the door to flow. How? Consciously begin to curate what you are grateful for in a journal, notebook, or legal pad. Continue to add to it daily. See if it helps you to be more creative even with a few short steps on the road.

Culture Found During Library Visit Library visits offer so much for anyone wanting to grow their creative flow. First, noticing the classes, from gourmet cooking classes to garden rock decorating sessions, can happen with a quick glance at a community bulletin board. Next, chat with librarians and patrons about what events or festivals they enjoy […]

Library Visit Seeds Inspiration Library visits seed greater flow regarding work and creativity. Moreover, they install a sense of wonder in the variety of ways to reach out in curiosity. This makes sense. First, just as seeds grow into plants and bear fruit, vegetables, or flowers, so does intuitive expression grow from interaction with the […]

Library Visit Creates Fount of Ideas One surefire way to get into flow is a library visit. As a former secondary teacher, I recommend a stroll throughout the whole facility. There are good reasons for this suggestion. First, you can see the variety of subject matter. Next, a swing through the multi-media section shows the […]